Kansas University senior Chelsea Gardner (15) collects a rebound against KSU's Breanne Lewis on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, at Allen Fieldhouse.

After trailing for most of the night, the Kansas University women’s basketball team took a one-point lead on visiting Kansas State with a little over four minutes to play — and then literally gave it right back.

For the second time this season, 23 turnovers doomed the Jayhawks in the Sunflower Showdown, but none were as crucial as the four in a row that came in the final four minutes of the Wildcats’ 55-48 victory Wednesday at Allen Fieldhouse.

Kansas University senior Chelsea Gardner (15) collects a rebound against KSU's Breanne Lewis on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, at Allen Fieldhouse.

After falling behind 41-40 on a three-pointer from KU freshman Chayla Cheadle with 4:35 to play, K-State closed the game with a 15-7 run that included a 10-1 spurt after falling behind for the first time since 19-16.

“(We) fight and battle to get back in it, and then four straight turnovers and three and-ones, and we’re down eight in a blink,” KU coach Bonnie Henrickson said.

K-State senior Ashia Woods (12 points, five rebounds, six steals) had more than a little to do with K-State’s good fortune down the stretch. After hitting two free throws to tie the game at 42, Woods picked up a steal on a post move by KU’s Chelsea Gardner (15 points, 15 rebounds, five fouls), dished an assist for one of those three-point plays, converted another and also ripped down two rebounds.

“I took Ashia out at the six-minute mark,” KSU coach Jeff Mittie said, “and I felt like she was fresh down the stretch. She took over the game in that last 3:50.”

Until that point, the Jayhawks (13-16 overall, 4-12 Big 12) looked like they had solved the Wildcats. Gardner turned into a force on both ends of the floor — on one possession she turned away four consecutive K-State post moves with two blocks and two forced misses — and KU’s 10-0 run that gave them the lead included a stretch of 6:05 in which the Wildcats (16-11, 6-10) did not score.

But Kansas State’s relentless defense, which recorded 17 steals, never went away, and, despite taking the late lead, KU was unable to build on it because of too many careless possessions.

“When you think about the turnovers we had, it was basically us just giving it to them,” said KU freshman Lauren Aldridge, who finished with three points, seven assists, three steals and five turnovers.

The Jayhawks will play Saturday at Oklahoma. Despite needing to get hot to play beyond next week’s Big 12 tournament in Dallas, Aldridge said the team still believed there was plenty to play for.

“I don’t think that our team has any quit in it,” she said. “And the possibilities are endless in postseason play.”

Boyd likely finished

KU senior Asia Boyd did not play Wednesday night and likely is finished for the season after results of an MRI earlier this week revealed a stress fracture in her left foot.

“We can feel sorry for Asia,” Henrickson said. “But we can’t feel sorry for ourselves.”

Knight honored

Prior to tipoff, KU senior Natalie Knight was presented with a commemorative ball that marked her inclusion in the 1,000-point club.

With her 11 points in a loss at Oklahoma State last weekend, Knight, an Olathe native, became the 28th Kansas women’s player to crack quadruple digits in her career.

“It definitely was a great moment and very memorable,” Knight said of the ceremony.